For those of you that don’t know, DAF have a basic version of their auto box in their newer trucks called AS tronic Fleet spec. The difference being that you don’t have the option to transfer to manual gear changes. I’m not a great lover of auto boxes at the best of times, but this idea really does take the biscuit. Its main function is to save fuel, as you have no way of over-revving the engine. It’s a bloody nightmare to drive. Your planning ahead trying to anticipate the road conditions, but the gearbox has other ideas because of a slight gradient. We do a regular run from Bellshill to Stranraer, and I’ve lost count of the amount of times the boys chasing the boat for Ireland have nearly rear ended me.The reason being I have no control over gearchanges when approaching several gradients that I can clearly see ahead of me. I personally feel it is a dangerous cost cutting exercise, as I am not in full control of the vehicle at any given time. If your going to have a go at me for this rant, please tell me you’ve spent a day with this type of gearbox. Finally, does any other manufacturer offer this type of basic spec gearbox ■■?
I really sympathise with you on that one. I should think you are not just annoyed about having to use such an inflexible piece of kit but also having a bit more skill removed from your job just in case you are a complete numptie who can’t be trusted to drive a proper truck.
Anyone who actually NEEDS the benefit of a gearbox like that ought to come over here where its still fuller constant mesh (crash) boxes.
does any other manufacturer offer this type of basic spec gearbox ■■?
Yes, Volvo do too, and as you say its very poor.
I haven’t driven the DAF version but the Volvo version is deffo a false economy IMHO.
yep ive driven a daf with this auto box, i was on hooklifts for the local council and it was a nightmare trying to change boxes over at the transfer station and trying to get away from a roundabout youll fly out onto the roundabout then half way onto it you stop while it changes to 4th and then ur crawling about
i got so annoyed with it one day i took it back to the yard and asked for a manual truck and gotone of the old 02 foden which was alot better than this 08 daf 85
That sounds dreadful. It’s bad enough having an auto box, most of the time we overide the auto setting because its ■■■…
Does anyone know the reasoning behind this unilateral shift by manufacturers to an auto box? what was so hard about changing gear? I have been told (don’t know if its true) that if you order a scania now an auto is what you get unless you pay MORE for a manual box.
I have driven an MAN and a volvo with the automatic, and TBH I found them very good, always in the right gear
I can see what your saying its a total nightmare the ASTronic box in full auto if your pulling weight on A roads,
thankfully ours have the manual option on which is loads better, but still feels slow through the gears over a real gearbox, or is it just me 
Andy smg:
For those of you that don’t know, DAF have a basic version of their auto box in their newer trucks called AS tronic Fleet spec. The difference being that you don’t have the option to transfer to manual gear changes. I’m not a great lover of auto boxes at the best of times, but this idea really does take the biscuit. Its main function is to save fuel, as you have no way of over-revving the engine. It’s a bloody nightmare to drive. Your planning ahead trying to anticipate the road conditions, but the gearbox has other ideas because of a slight gradient. We do a regular run from Bellshill to Stranraer, and I’ve lost count of the amount of times the boys chasing the boat for Ireland have nearly rear ended me.The reason being I have no control over gearchanges when approaching several gradients that I can clearly see ahead of me. I personally feel it is a dangerous cost cutting exercise, as I am not in full control of the vehicle at any given time. If your going to have a go at me for this rant, please tell me you’ve spent a day with this type of gearbox. Finally, does any other manufacturer offer this type of basic spec gearbox ■■?
hi mate i have heard that most manifactors are making one as there say it is what the companys want as some big fleet firms have diffrent driver driving them that if the box is the same without the manual option so drivers dont abuse them and also the MAN do one and it can download at service to tell how u use it
del